When you read these words....." Only 25 days till Christmas".....what comes to your mind? Do you feel like a child again.....get rosy cheeks, and feel gleeful inside? Do you anticipate the month before you being full of special activities? Hoping the "bustle" of it all will help guide you deeper into the true meaning of Christmas? Or do you have a couple ounces of "dread"within.....because you have gifts left to buy, or credit card debt piling up, or parties yet to plan, or sorrow cause Christmas may never be the same.......?
I know every January , as I pack away our beautiful Christmas decorations I pick up the same devotional and say the words....."there's that Christmas family devotional we never seem to finish!" And every year I remind myself of ways I want to do it "better" the next year.
Four years ago Our good friends , Pam and Jerry VanRoekle came to spend a few days with our family after the sad loss of my mother. The morning they were flying back to Iowa we left very early in the morning to get them to their early flight home. At their suggestion, I pulled up to the curb in front of their airline. We got the luggage out of the car and tearfully said our good-byes. But as I watched them walk into the airport I started to feel the need for more. I needed more than our "curb-side" heart felt love. What to do? It was cold , and dark, and I had an hours drive to get back home and begin my busy day. But, I drove away from the curb and headed towards the "short term" parking. I rolled down the window.......grabbed my meter ticket and found a parking spot as quick as I could. As I ran into the airport I spotted my two surprised friends. We hugged again and exchanged loving words. My heart was so full! Although I'd expressed my love to them at the "curb-side", my short term parking had made it worth it all. I'd had adequate time to express my love and gratitude to them for coming to be with our family, They wouldn't have loved me any less had I just said good-bye at the curb. But I had a beautiful satisfaction in my soul , from having parking in "short term parking".....and walking in to see them.
This Christmas.....when I get busy with "Christmas-ing" and all that entails to make Christmas special for our family and friends, I will not beat myself up if once again we don't finish the family Christmas devotional. I also will know that The Lord will love me no less when I have "curb-side" moments with him. But I am going to strive for more "Short-term parking"time with Him.
Matthew 2:11 " They came to the house where the child was and saw him with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. They opened their gift and gave Him treasures of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. "
I do pray that you will have many many moments this season to bow down, and worship Him. You have all learned 10 verses this year! What a gift you hold in your hearts.....His Word! As you leave your verse.....do you want to share one of your favorite Christmas traditions?
Matthew 2:11
ReplyDelete" They came to the house where the child was and saw him with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped Him. They opened their gifts d gave him treasures of gold, frankincense, and myrrh."
.....this year our family ( and our nephews)....decorated the tree together, and they kid all reminded me of a tradition of the past, and asked that they could do it again. They want to spend one night sleeping "under the tree"!
Robin Cahill ... "Thanks be to God for His Gift that is too wonderful for words." 2 Corn.9:15. We love to do all the traditional things at Christmas, decorate the tree, put up the Christmas lights, bake cookies, send out cards, exchange gifts. But a family tradition that we have started at Christmas dinner is to choose a scripture and read it aloud and tell what we are thankful for in the past year.
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome gift God has given to us, His son Jesus and the free gift of eternal life.
Pam Oliver
ReplyDeleteProverbs 4:18....The ways of right-living people glow with light; the longer they live, the brighter they shine. (the msg).
There is nothing more beautiful than the brilliant light of Jesus shining through a mature Christian woman.
"What profit has a man from all his labor in which he toils under the sun" Ecclesiastes 1:3
ReplyDeleteOh I know this is a very strange scripture to post at Christmas BUT I let my bible fall open and this is where it landed. Upon reflection I felt it was very appropriate. You see the other night a young lady that I am teaching to knit ask me "Miss Nancy, what do you want for Christmas?" I immediately teared up as just that day as I was leaving my office from work the young cleaning lady stopped to say hello. In her broken English she got across to me that she was sick because her children keep bringing sickness home from school. Such a simple statement but it brought me to tears and I stopped her and I prayed for her. I have no idea what she understood but when I said "in Jesus Name" she smiled and hugged me. What do I want for Christmas? For Rosa to be healed and her family to be touched by Christ. This is the "toil" that counts...Let's contemplate how Christ would want us to celebrate His miraculous birth. After all, He came to touch our lives forever! Merry Christmas!
o